Maui, Kaua’i plastic bag bans begin today

Time to break out tbe lauhala bags: A ban on plastic bags for customers of merchants in Kaua’i and Maui counties begins today.

Unlike San Francisco’s landmark ban, which went into effect in November 2007, the Maui mandate includes both compostable and noncompostable plastic bags, presumably because the marine life that is at risk from swallowing or being tangled in them is not aware of the difference. The Kaua’i ordinance permits “biodegradable” plastic bags — which means they contain “no polymers derived from fossil fuels, and will decompose at a rate comparable to biodegradable material” — but the Web page of the county’s Public Works Department notes “there are currently no bags that meet the definition outlined in the law.” The Kaua’i department page also states:

Solid materials, typically waste, that has found its way to the marine environment is called marine debris. It is known to be the cause of injuries and deaths of numerous marine animals and birds, either because they become entangled in it or they mistake it for prey and eat it.

The world’s “great garbage patch” can be found floating between Hawaii and San Francisco. This garbage patch is estimated to be twice the size of Texas and thousands of pounds of our discarded trash, mostly plastics.

Under the new laws, which include the islands of Lāna’i and Moloka’i (and technically Ni’ihau), vendors are allowed to give away or sell paper bags with high recycled content as well reusable bags. Some exceptions allow plastic bags for selling meat and other limited uses.

For visitors, it’s good to know that Long’s Drugs (as the chain is still called in Hawaii) and the islands’ major grocery stores all have brightly colored bags, many with Hawaiian-inspired designs, that make great souvenirs as well as more environmentally friendly totes. The Outrigger hospitality group was also one of the early adopters of dispensing free reusable bags, providing them to guests of Ohana Hotels and Outrigger-managed condos, creating a great stealth advertising campaign by those who take them home.

Plastic bags will remain in use in other parts of the state. According to Hawaii Health Guide, “Ex-Mayor Harry Kim vetoed the Big Island ban in 2008 after it was approved by Hawaii’s County Council, and Oahu deferred a ban in 2009, stating among the reasons that the plastics were converted to energy at Oahu’s power plant.”

Nevertheless, I’m hopeful this move to reduce plastics in the ocean and Hawai’i landfills becomes another of the top travel trends of 2011. Perhaps the islands will also follow San Francisco’s example in banning plastic foam (a/k/a Styrofoam) boxes and cups. I’d love to order more of the delicious plate lunches without worrying that I was adding to the landfill as well as my waistline.

Share your thoughts about what environmental iniatives you’d support as a visitor to Hawai’i in the comments field, or by e-mailing me at hawaii.insider@gmail.com, and I’ll include those in a future post. Mahalo!